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Two former Parramatta Eels players are accused of harbouring semi-automatic weapons and possessing more than half-a-million dollars in cash after dramatic arrests in Sydney's Centennial Park yesterday.

Islamic State is hunting a “grand victory” against the west with supporters in Australia waiting for a clear signal from within the terror network’s highest ranks before unleashing attacks.

The nation remains on high alert after the Australian Federal Police foiled an alleged plot to bring down a commercial airline through the alleged use of either toxic gas or an explosive device.

Four Lebanese Australians, two fathers and two sons, remain in custody after police raids across properties in Sydney this weekend.

The alleged plot could be the 13th significant conspiracy closed down by Australian authorities since the country's terror threat level was raised to "probable" in 2014.

Michael S. Smith II, a US counter-terror analyst, told nine.com.au, the arrests in Sydney did not prompt “any significant increase” around the “chatter” concerning Australia and Islamic State social media networks.

But he was quick to add the fact more IS supporters had not executed attacks on Australian soil should not be misinterpreted as a sign of diminished potential to unleash terror in the country.

“As is common there has been reference to new stories but the volume of communication about the arrest has not thus far indicated that this was a significant setback for the group’s efforts to mobilise attacks in Australia and the west,” he said.

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“It very well may be the case that IS is continually engaging with supporters in Australia who are being advised not to execute attacks including simple attacks, such as stabbings or use of cars, until such time as orders are provided.”

The formerly trained intelligence analyst, who specialises in the operations of groups like Islamic State and al-Qa ida, said there are “ample indicators” IS members have sought to time their attacks.

Smith said there were strong indicators that IS want to time certain attacks with the release of propaganda material that encouraged terrorism in specific countries.

He added that it may be the case that the next message from a senior IS official contains calls for attacks in Australia or the US, France, Germany or UK and people have been advised to wait until such as a clear signal.

“There are ample indicators IS members who are remotely mobilising attacks in the west have sought to time the attacks in a manner that confirms to strategic calculations in part of the group’s external operations division,” he said.

Smith said the US remains the “ideal target” for IS and that it’s “very likely” people who are supporters of IS or who have gone through basic training in Europe or Australia will be dispatched to the US.

He said this is a scenario which “needs to be front and centre of all intelligence agencies analysis” because an attack on US soil would undermine confidence in all of our intelligence services – and it would be “such a grand victory” even if it was only small scale attacks”.

“They (IS) are doing everything possible to eclipse the spectre of al-Qa ida,” he said.

He said while the terrorists have achieved that in “popular imagination” of the people they seek to terrorise, IS still needs to do more to convince members of al-Qa ida to defect and join them.

“Spilling the blood of the west, be they Australian, American, Brits, Germans or the French, is an incredibly important credential in terms of influencing perceptions of the group,” he said.

A map illustrating the loss of territory in the so-called caliphate in Iraq and Syria. Source: IHS Markit

Smith said given the group doesn’t want to be “babysitting a bunch of untrained kids from the west”, it needs to move to add “hardcore” experienced terrorists to its ranks if it wants to expand and hold its territory.

In response to questions about the latest plot, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the group was "advanced" but could not elaborate as to how far.

"I can say certainly the police will allege they had the intent and were developing the capability," Mr Turnbull told ABC radio.

Police reportedly seized part of a domestic grinder and a box containing a multi-mincer for making sausages from one of the men's homes. They reportedly also found a flight number for a Jakarta to Sydney route inside a bin at a property linked to the alleged plot.

The men were arrested when the New South Wales Police Force and AFP officers swooped on five properties in the suburbs of Surry Hills, Lakemba, Wiley Park and Punchbowl on Saturday afternoon.

Twenty-two people were killed in the Manchester attacks in May.

Overnight, a magistrate granted the Australian Federal Police an additional period of detention, which can last up to seven days, to hold the men while a complex investigation continues.

Border Protection Minister Peter Dutton has refused to confirm speculation that the plan involved hiding explosives in a mincer.

He also declined to say if Australian intelligence was tipped off by authorities overseas before the four men were arrested.

"There will be lots of speculation around about what the intent was, but obviously all of us have been working hard over recent days and we rely upon the expertise of the Federal Police and ASIO and other agencies," he said.